Doors, Hood and Trunk: Description and Operation
Handles, Locks, Latches and Entry Systems
NOTE: The Smart Junction Box (SJB) is also known as the Generic Electronic Module (GEM).
Hood Latch
The hood latch system consists of the following components:
- Hood latch
- Hood latch striker
- Hood latch release handle and cable
Front Door
The front door latch system consists of the following components:
- Door ajar switch
- Door lock cylinder (driver door only)
- Exterior front door handle
- Front door latch
- Front door lock actuator
- Interior door handle actuating cable
- Interior front door handle
- Keyless entry keypad (if equipped)
Rear Door
The rear door latch system consists of the following components:
- Door ajar switch
- Exterior rear door handle
- Interior door handle actuating cable
- Interior rear door handle
- Rear door latch
- Rear door lock actuator
Liftgate Glass
The liftgate glass latch system consists of the following components:
- Liftgate glass ajar switch
- Liftgate glass latch
- Liftgate glass release switch (on the rear license plate housing)
Liftgate
The liftgate latch system consists of the following components:
- Exterior liftgate release handle
- Liftgate ajar switch
- Liftgate latch
- Liftgate latch actuator
Tailgate
The tailgate latch system consists of the following components:
- Tailgate latches
- Tailgate latch actuating rods
- Tailgate latch release handle
- Tailgate latch remote control
Power Lock/Unlock
The Smart Junction Box (SJB) controls the power locking/unlocking feature of all the vehicle doors, including the liftgate. The determination to lock or unlock the vehicle is based off the input received from the door lock control switch(es), the keyless entry keypad or the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter (if the vehicle speed is less than 5 km/h [3 mph]). Power locking and unlocking of the doors function independently of the key position, vehicle speed or transmission position. The SJB activates internal relays to supply power for the door lock actuators.
The liftgate window glass is released, using the keyless entry keypad or the RKE transmitter, and does not operate if the vehicle speed is greater than 5 km/h (3 mph).
Autolock
The autolock feature locks all the doors when all the doors, including the liftgate, are closed, after the brake pedal is pressed, and the vehicle speed exceeds 20 km/h (12 mph). This feature also relocks the doors (if any doors were open) after the brake pedal is pressed, once the SJB receives door closed inputs from all door ajar switches and vehicle speed exceeds 20 km/h (12 mph). The autolock feature can be enabled/disabled, refer to Autolock and Auto-Unlock Programming Autolock and Auto-Unlock Programming for programming information. The autolock feature also uses inputs from the key position, the stoplamp switch and vehicle speed through the Controller Area Network (CAN) from the ABS module.
Auto-Unlock
The auto-unlocking feature unlocks all the doors when all of the following conditions are met:
- All the doors are closed
- The key is in the run position and the vehicle was in motion at a speed greater than 20 km/h (12 mph) for a minimum of 2 seconds since the last key start. The vehicle then comes to a stop and the key is turned to the OFF or ACC position
- The driver door is opened within 10 minutes of the key being turned to the OFF or ACC position
The doors do not auto-unlock if:
- The doors are locked using the door lock control switches
- The doors are locked with the keyless entry keypad or the RKE transmitter within 10 minutes of turning the key to the OFF or ACC position
- 10 minutes elapse and the driver door is not opened
The auto-unlock feature can be enabled/disabled independently of autolock. Refer to Autolock and Auto-Unlock Programming Autolock and Auto-Unlock Programming for programming information.
Smart Unlock
The smart unlock feature prevents all the doors from being locked with the key in the ignition lock cylinder. When the SJB receives a lock command from a front door lock control switch, and the key is in the ignition lock cylinder with one of the front doors open, the SJB commands all the doors to unlock.
Unlock Inhibit Feature
NOTE: The unlock inhibit feature is configured off from the factory.
The unlock inhibit feature prevents the doors from being unlocked from the door lock control switches after certain conditions have been met. This feature is designed to prevent vehicle theft.
The conditions for the unlock inhibit feature are:
- The key is out of the ignition
- All doors are closed
- The vehicle has been locked using the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter, keyless entry keypad (if equipped), or the door lock control switch (while the front door was open then subsequently closed)
- 20 seconds have elapsed once all doors are closed and locked
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter
Explorer, Mountaineer
Explorer Sport Trac
The RKE transmitter initiates the following electronic system functions:
- Unlocks the driver door (with stepped unlock enabled)
- Unlocks all doors
- Locks all doors
- Releases the liftgate window glass (Explorer only)
- Activates/deactivates the panic alarm
- Commands the interior lamps on (when unlocking) and off (when locking)
- Sounds the horn once when LOCK is pressed twice within 3 seconds, and the doors are closed
- Sounds the horn twice when LOCK is pressed twice within 3 seconds, and any door is open
The RKE transmitter has a normal operating range of 10 m (33 ft).
The RKE transmitters can be programmed using a scan tool or by using the remote keyless entry transmitter programming procedure. Refer to Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter Programming Transmitter for programming information.
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter Lock/Unlock Control - Lock
The RKE transmitter feature requests that all the doors be locked when the lock button is pressed. On any press of the lock button with all doors closed, the SJB provides 1 flash of the parking lamps. If any door is ajar, no flash occurs. As soon as the last door is closed, the SJB provides the flash of the parking lamps. If 2 presses of the lock button are received within 3 seconds, the horn chirps once and the parking lamps flash twice to indicate that all the doors are closed and locked. If any door is ajar when the second lock request is received within 3 seconds of the first, the RKE transmitter feature requests the SJB chirp the horn twice without flashing the parking lamps to indicate it locked all the doors, but 1 or more doors are ajar. When the key is in the ON or START position, the parking lamp flashes and horn chirp confirmations do not occur.
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter Lock/Unlock Control - Unlock
The RKE transmitter feature provides lock/unlock functions independently of key position or transmission position. The RKE feature will not unlock the doors if the vehicle speed is greater than 20 km/h (12 mph). The RKE transmitter feature provides a stepped (if enabled) process for unlocking the doors. Upon receipt of the first request for unlocking the doors, the RKE control feature requests the SJB to unlock the driver door only. If another unlock request is received within 3 seconds of the first, the RKE transmitter feature requests the SJB to unlock all the doors. This feature can be changed to global unlock, so that all the doors unlock on the first press of the unlock button. Refer to Stepped Unlock Programming Stepped Unlock Programming for programming information.
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Liftgate Glass Release (Explorer, Mountaineer)
The RKE transmitter feature provides liftgate glass release function independently of key position. The vehicle speed must be less than 5 km/h (3 mph) for this function to work.
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter Memory Seat
The RKE transmitter feature provides memory seat/adjustable pedals easy entry feature. When the unlock button is pressed, the driver seat and adjustable pedals move to the desired memory position (the seat and pedal position corresponds to the transmitter being used). This feature can be enabled/disabled. For additional information, refer to Remote Memory Activation Remote Memory Activation and Remote Memory Deactivation Remote Memory Deactivation.
Panic Alarm
The panic alarm feature provides audible and visual alarms which are evident from the exterior of the vehicle. The panic alarm feature requests that the parking lamps are flashed and the horn sounds until deactivation. The flashing of the outputs occurs simultaneously. Activation of the panic alarm is accomplished by pressing the panic button on an RKE transmitter whenever the key is in the OFF or ACC position. At all other times this feature is disabled. Deactivation of an active PANIC alarm is accomplished by any of the following actions:
- A second press of the RKE transmitter panic button
- The key is switched out of the OFF or ACC position
- A period of 2 minutes and 45 seconds has elapsed since the initial activation
Keyless Entry Keypad
The keypad, located on the exterior of the driver door, provides a method for customers to access their vehicle without a key or RKE transmitter. The keypad feature:
- Locks all doors
- Unlocks the driver door
- Unlocks all doors
- Programs/erases the customer key code
- Enables/disables auto-unlocking
- Enables/disables autolocking
- Releases the liftgate window glass
The keypad feature operates independently of key position status, vehicle speed, or transmission position. When a keypad button is pressed, the keypad buttons illuminate to provide better visibility. If the lock all doors command is entered or 5 seconds have elapsed since the last button press, the illumination is turned off.
Each vehicle equipped with a keypad is programmed with a 5-digit entry code. This code is provided to the customer through a wallet card in the Owner's Literature. In addition, this code is available through a scan tool and is also printed on the SJB label. When entering codes, each digit must be entered within 5 seconds of the previous button press.
Locking the Doors with the Keyless Entry Keypad System
It is not necessary to enter the factory set or personal code prior to locking all doors. To lock all doors, press the 7/8 and 9/0 controls at the same time.
Unlocking the Doors with the Keyless Entry Keypad System
To unlock the driver door, enter either the factory set code or a personal code; each digit must be pressed within 5 seconds of the prior digit. The interior lamps illuminate.
To unlock all doors, enter either the factory set code or a personal code (driver door unlocks) and press the 3/4 control within 5 seconds.
To open the liftgate window glass, enter the factory set code or a personal code (driver door unlocks) and press the 5/6 control within 5 seconds.
Anti-Scan Feature
To provide added security, the keypad is disabled for 1 minute after 35 button presses without a valid entry code being entered. The keypad illumination flashes during this 1-minute mode with all functionality disabled except for 7/8 and 9/0 still being allowed to lock the vehicle.
Anti-Scan is turned off after 1 minute of keypad inactivity.
Keyless Entry Keypad Memory Seat Feature
The keypad provides a memory seat feature. The feature is associated with personal codes and positions the driver seat and adjustable pedals to the Driver 1 or Driver 2 memory setting. Refer to Keyless Entry Keypad Code Programming Testing and Inspection for programming information.